An Impossible Choice
by Lialane Graest
Summary: "I can bring her back to you, as good as new." Stein demands proof, and is given one day with Marie Mjolnir as proof of the creature's abilities. Who is this creature, why is he offering this to Stein, and will Stein be willing to trade a soul for a soul, a body for a body once he finds out the true cost? SteinxMarie. Prompted by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX
1. As Good As New

"I can give her back to you."

The words hung heavy in the air as Stein twisted the screw in his head, warily regarding the soul he couldn't quite sense.

"If I wanted her back, I would have brought her back myself."

The individual across from him smiled. It was a disturbing smile, one that stretched just a little too far, one that didn't quite reach the man's eyes. He adjusted his black suit's suit jacket, the smile stretching even further as he did so.

"Come now, doctor, we both know that the only way that you could have brought her back was like you brought back that Sid fellow. You wouldn't want your precious Marie to have cold blue skin for the rest of her unnatural life, now would you? I'll bring her back to you, good as new. Delicate, pale warm skin and all," the man said as he stepped closer to Stein, and the scent of something familiar yet wrong assaulted the scientist.

Stein's eyes narrowed and something twisted in his chest.

"All you have to do is agree to the terms. Just a simple yes. Then you'll have her again."

"You've neglected to mention what the terms to this are, you know," Stein said, the screw making another rotation inside his skull.

That feral, too large grin stretched across the dark haired man's pale features again. "Ah, yes. That little tidbit. To keep her, you have to give up someone close to you. Not just anyone close to you, no. The person closest to you other than her," laughter flitted briefly from him. "A soul for a soul, a body for a body. Understand?"

"Proof." Stein's statement hung in the air, drifting with the smoke from his cigarette as the creature across from him laughed.

"I'll give you proof. Her essence resides here, you know. It haunts the halls of this lab, her laughter buried in the walls, her tears in the floor. She is imprinted on this place an indelibly as you are," he said as he waved a hand around them at the stitched walls and empty spaces. "I would brace if I were you, and stand up."

Stein raised an eyebrow but rose from his chair, his left hand twisting the screw in his head. Laughter erupted from the man as light exploded around him; dark light that twisted, shooting past Stein, causing the scientist to immediately drop to a defensive stance, his attention on whatever the creature was that stood in front of him.

The light swirled through the lab, touching the walls, the floor, the ceiling, and he heard Marie's laughter. He heard the undeniable sound of her crying. He heard her voice calling for him; he could feel her touch on his shoulder. The light shot back to coalesce in front of him, and his eyes widened.

A humanoid shape was forming out of the light show, and in a flash of brilliant golden light he could see it; Marie's soul hung in the middle of the lights and Stein almost hit his knees. He stood there watching as the light rebuilt her body and then, in another flash of golden light, she was whole and complete. He darted forward, bracing her falling body with his own, hitting his knees with her chest pressed against his, her head resting on his shoulder as she took shuddering breaths.

Green eyes looked up and met black ones, the creature's too large grin full of sharp teeth. "You have one day with her to make your decision, Franken Stein. I'll return then, and then I'll take my payment or I'll take her."

Stein watched as the being, whatever it was, faded out of view. Marie stirred in his arms and he realized suddenly that she was naked. A quick movement divested him of his lab coat and wrapped it around her before he scooped the barely conscious death scythe into his arms and darted towards her room.

Her hand found his chest as he opened the door, and he looked down at her as she weakly called out his name. Both her eyes were open and looking at him, and the creature's words rung through his head.

"_As good as new."_

"Franken? What's going on?" Marie's voice was weak and tired as he laid her down on her bed.

"You… had an accident, Marie. You'll be fine, just rest for a moment, please." Stein said, his hand moving to brush the hair from her face as he marveled at her eyes.

"Accident?" Marie's gold eyes held his and he sighed.

"You… died."

The words fell flatly into the silence, and Marie's eyes widened. Long moments passed where she just stared at him before slowly, hesitantly lifting her arm into the air; she looked at it as if it were an unknown creature. A flash of light heralded her transformation, her arm changing into her normal partial form before reverting in another.

"I'm… I'm not dead, Franken."

Her eyes met his and saw the sorrow they held. There was no doubt in her mind that the man in front of her was telling the truth, that she had died. But for how long?

"You died three weeks ago, Marie… Shibusen held a funeral, we buried you. We've all mourned you." Stein's voice was almost empty, as if he was forcing himself to remain detached from his emotions.

"Then how… how am I…" the woman's head was reeling, "How the hell am I here?"

Stein was silent for a moment. "I can't tell you, because I'm not entirely certain myself."

The creature's words echoed in the man's skull and one hand crept to hold Marie's, gently closing over it even as the other twisted the screw protruding from his head. _"You have one day to make your decision. Her, or the person closest to you in this world."_

He had to choose between Marie and Spirit.

* * *

**A/N: Yet something else that was prompted by XStrawberryDuckFeathersX; again, I have varied a bit from the original prompt, and decided to break this down into multiple chapters- going to try to shoot for 3-4 chapters for this.**

**I don't own Soul Eater.**


	2. Dilemma

"I don't understand… I'm not like Sid… did you-"

He cut her off. "No, Marie. I didn't. I can't even tell you who did."

"But… I…" she pushed herself into a sitting position, "I don't remember dying!"

"What is the last thing that you remember?" Stein's hands ached to reach out and touch her, to prove to himself that she was real, but he forced himself to remain still, to study the soul that was as familiar to him as his own.

"We were on a mission… there was a witch… and then there was a flash of bright light. The next thing I know, you're carrying me to my bed, telling me I had died. I don't remember it at all!" There was anger in her eyes as she looked down, "I certainly don't remember being naked!"

His response was automatic, "Marie, I did not experiment on you."

"Then at least explain what's going on!"

Painstakingly, in as much detail as he could, he told her everything; the sudden appearance of the creature, the comments about how she was etched into the building, the appearance of her soul and the rebuilding of her body.

The day time limit, but not the cost. He would not have that on her conscience.

Death forgive him, but he wasn't going to lose her again. He didn't want to lose Spirit either, though, so he would have to find a way to save them both.

"So… after a day…" tears welled in her eyes, "I die again?"

His hands wrapped around hers of their own accord. "I'm not going to let that happen, Marie. I swear."

* * *

She fell asleep while listening to the tale of her own death. He sat there watching her sleep for a long while, memorizing the rise and fall of her chest, the slight parting of her lips, the way her gentle breathing sounded. He was absorbed with memorizing every detail of her, and missed the creature's presence until it spoke nearly in his ear.

"She is beautiful, you know. You're lucky one like her loves you."

Stein looked up at the feral grin, at the sharp teeth that were bared in the smirk. "She doesn't love me, and even if she does, it is no business of yours."

"You're trying to find a way around the rules of the contract. You believe that you can outsmart me. You love her and she loves you." The man… the creature, stepped to Stein's side, looking down at the slumbering woman and Stein felt a possessive urge rush through his body.

"And what if there is no one that means anything near to what she does to me?" Stein asked.

The grin on the creature's face grew, stretching impossibly wide on its face. "There's always someone else important to you. An old flame, a parent… a senpai."

Stein's blood ran cold.

"I'll be back, doctor."

The creature dissolved into blackness again, leaving him alone with the slumbering death scythe. Pale hands wrapped around hers, and Stein forced his clinical instincts to kick in. Long fingers gently turned her hands over and pressed against her wrist, counting the delicate beats of her heart. He left the room just long enough to retrieve a stethoscope, gingerly placing it on her chest and listening to the sound of air moving in her lungs, the beats of her heart.

She sounded and seemed healthy.

Stein cranked the screw in his head, trying to figure a way out that didn't involve losing either Spirit or Marie.

* * *

Stein sat by her bed, his head in his hands. He had rotated the screw in his skull so many times that he was worried if he did any more he may actually damage something. His mind was locked in a circle; he simply couldn't figure out a way to save them both.

He wondered fleetingly if he could sacrifice himself.

He dismissed the notion. The creature had been specific- it was someone close to him, not himself.

The feel of Marie's hand on his brought him out of his musings, and he looked at the woman that was sitting on the edge of her bed, she had his lab coat wrapped tightly around herself and there were tears in her eyes.

"Franken... I don't want to die."

He hesitated. He didn't want to lie to her, but he didn't want to tell her the truth.

"I'll find a way to stop that from happening, Marie. I promise you…" his voice trailed off as he was caught up in his internal debate again.

Tears streamed down her cheeks. "You're not telling me something… you're keeping something from me…"

His green eyes met her gold, and in that moment he knew he couldn't keep the truth from her.

"Marie… I have to choose. The creature I told you about? It promised to bring you back to me, but at a cost. It gave me a day with you to prove its power."

"What cost?"

"A body for a body, a soul for a soul. The person closest to me other than you."

Marie's mouth fell open, and she stared at him in horror.

"Marie-"

"No! I won't let you give someone else's life away for mine!"

Something snapped in him; something broke past the barriers that he had maintained for so long. His hand grabbed her arm forcefully and she looked down in surprise.

"I would give anyone's life for yours! I would give my own if I could!" Her eyes met his again and saw the commitment in them, the desperation as he continued slightly quieter, his hand relaxing on her arm. "I will do everything I can to prevent having to give up Spirit, but I will not lose you again!"

Her voice was small and she looked down at her knees. "I'm not worth taking his life away from him, Franken."

"You're worth more than anyone. I won't lose you, not when I have you back."

'_Delicate, pale warm skin and all,'_ the words echoed in his mind, the creature's voice causing him to turn his head to look over his shoulder as a shudder went up his spine.

For a moment when he turned back to her, he didn't see her. His heart caught in his throat thinking that the creature had taken her from him. When he blinked she was there, looking at him with concern in her eyes.

His hand reached out to her, his fingers brushing against her skin, reassuring him that she was actually there.

* * *

**A/N: Again, sorry for the late updates on this. I don't own Soul Eater.**


	3. The Game He Plays, Unwinnable?

She moved his hand to her lips briefly, even as a tear slipped down her face. "I have faith in you, Franken. You'll figure it out. But… shouldn't… shouldn't you tell Spirit?"

He opened his mouth, but no words came out and he dryly swallowed. His free hand twisted the screw in his head as she stared at him expectantly.

"You're right, Marie…" he said after a moment. "Perhaps I should consult Spirit. He may prove more knowledgeable than I on this matter."

"_It is his life on the line or hers,"_ the creature's voice whispered and froze the scientist in place for a long moment.

It took all of his willpower to tear himself out of the seat he was sitting in and leave Marie sitting on the edge of her bed, his lab coat wrapped around her. He walked briskly into his favored research lab, grabbing the antiquated phone from its cradle, the cord so unused that it was still a tight spring shape. He had to look in his rolodex for Spirit's number, and when he found it he quickly dialed it.

It rung and rung. Spirit didn't answer and Stein looked at the phone; there was something that was demanding his attention, but he just couldn't remember what. He dialed again.

"Yeah?"

Stein felt some tension bleed out of his body. "Senpai… could you come to the lab?"

"Stein, you know I'm having to teach. I can't, classes start soon."

"Spirit, it's important!" Stein's voice cracked slightly.

He listened to the silence on the other end. It sounded so much like dead air that for a moment he thought that Spirit had hung up on him.

Finally Spirit's voice came across the line again. "Alright, Stein. I'll come."

* * *

Stein paced in front of Marie, his steps heavy as he muttered to himself. She had given up trying to get him to stay still, it was as if there was too much energy in his body to be contained; he simply had to let it out.

Spirit sat opposite Marie. His elbows were on his knees and the man had his face buried in his hands.

"I don't understand, Stein. What do you think we're going to be able to do? You said that this thing comes without you being able to even sense its soul!"

"We have to kill it."

Both of them looked at him.

"I'm not giving Marie up, and I don't intend to let you die either, Senpai. I'll save you both," Stein said stubbornly.

"Franken… how? Have you even been able to touch this person? You said he's like a shadow, does he have a form that we could even hurt?"

"I… I don't know Marie."

"_You're not going to get around this, Franken Stein. You can't win this game."_

Stein's head jerked up as the thing's voice whispered through his mind. He caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye and he bolted after it, shouting for Marie and Spirit to follow him. The sound of his own footfalls drowned out theirs as he darted down the long hall after the shadowy image.

* * *

"Senpai!" Spirit was beside Stein, hitting his weapon form and in the meister's capable hands a second later. The two came around the corner, Marie directly behind them and all three stopped as they realized that they had hit a dead end.

Stein kept Spirit in a defensive posture, one arm reaching back to touch Marie's side as he maneuvered her to have her back to the wall. The tension in the air was palpable as they waited.

He didn't disappoint. The creature slipped out of the wall beside them, a smile on his face as he bowed to them.

"I see that you decided to gather your choices together, Franken Stein. Have you come to a decision early then? How I do enjoy this next part."

Stein could feel Marie's soul trembling in fear behind him, and he could feel the desperation that was now leaking from Spirit's.

'_We're going to stop him, Spirit.'_

'_I don't doubt it, Stein,'_ Spirit's mental voice was determined.

"You're not taking either of them."

"Now, now. That's not the way it goes. Either I get her, or I get him. You can't bring the dead back without some sort of exchange."

"That's a lie."

"Delicate, pale warm skin and all."

Stein bristled and with a scream threw himself towards the thing. Spirit slashed through him, and should have severed the thing's arm from its body.

There was no resistance. There was no blood; no arm hit the floor of the lab. Stein heard Marie's strangled gasp from behind him. He could feel the worry and fear leeching from both of their souls.

"Now then, that was uncalled for. What would you do if I were to do the same to you?"

The creature moved impossibly fast, a mockery of Spirit's weapon form appearing in its hands. Stein didn't have a chance to bring Spirit up to block; wouldn't have if he had. The shadowy looking weapon slammed into Stein's shoulder and brought the meister to his knees, a thin line of blood erupting just below the socket.

The pain was unimaginable.

"There. Now we're even. On that regard, at least. Could you make a choice at least- this is becoming tedious quickly." A smile full of razor sharp teeth crossed the being's face and Stein struggled to his feet.

"I'm not letting you take either of them!" he hissed out.

"That's really not a decision you get to make. There's no point in expending the effort to bring her back if you're gone. Which means that either she goes or he goes. There are no other options here. Surely your famed intellect can see that?"

Stein dodged forward, his right arm on fire from the incision like wound down. He swung with Spirit anyway; the weapon's blade, as expected, ghosting through the creature.

"Soul Force!" Stein screamed out and brought his uninjured left arm on a collision course with the thing.

It blinked lazily at him an instant before his hand touched it.

In a bright flash of light, Stein's world went dark. He never heard the clatter of Spirit hitting the ground, Marie's piercing scream drowning it out.

* * *

**A/N: There will only be one more chapter of this; I will be getting it typed up hopefully tonight. I know exactly how it's going to start, and what it will entail, as well as the ending. **

**Also, if I could bother you to, please take the poll on my profile.  
**

**I hope that you've enjoyed this update. I don't own Soul Eater.**


	4. Sacrifice

"It's been a good day, Papa," Maka said quietly. "I got a perfect score on my test. Soul didn't do so well; he was too busy trying to cheat."

Soul just huffed from beside her, but didn't interrupt.

Maka smiled a little. "Soul and I are going on our mission to kill a witch soon. She's in Prague, so we'll get to do some sightseeing afterwards. Then we'll come back and I'll make you and Mama proud."

Maka waited a second, but there was no reply. Tears pricked at her eyes, despite knowing that there never would be again. Soul's hand fell on her shoulder and he tugged her slightly. She collapsed against his chest, letting the sobs tear through her that even nearly a month of mourning hadn't been able to dull.

"Maka, we have to go now if you want to make it to the church on time," Soul said gently, guiding the distraught teen towards his motorcycle.

She sniffled as he sat a helmet on her head, but nodded. A moment later they were leaving Hook Cemetery behind them. Maka couldn't help but glance in the direction of Stein's lab as they left.

* * *

Maka sat between Soul and Black*Star on the cold bench in the church. Some pastor or father or reverend was droning on about the afterlife and the peace that it afforded, but Maka wasn't paying attention.

Professor Stein would have scolded her had he been there.

'_Your mind is too brilliant to waste. You need to pay attention to everything, even if it isn't something that you're overtly interested in, because you never know when the knowledge will come in handy, Maka. You have to be prepared for everything.'_

His words echoed through her mind as she stared vacantly at the front of the church. The clergyman continued his eulogy, and Maka found that she couldn't completely tune out the man's words.

"He was preceded in death by the two people that were closest to him. It has been said that when a person loses their loved one, it can sometimes cause them to feel that there is no longer a way to continue. Unfortunately, our dearly departed had few to turn to in his time of need.

Regardless, he touched a great number of lives. There is not a soul in this room that he did not effect in one way or another, and he was a great man. Is there any that would speak on his behalf?"

Sid stood, his voice ringing through the small church. Azusa stood next and spoke as well. Maka buried her face in her knees and sobbed as Soul rubbed her back gently.

Black*Star, not to be outdone, bounded to his feet and told a story that glorified him more than the deceased. Maka trembled, anger and pain running through her soul as others stood to speak of him.

They all skipped around the true point of why Stein was in a coffin- of why the man was dead.

He had killed himself. Shinigami-sama had called the man to check on him and been able to see the last few moments of the scientist's life. Maka's fists clenched in anger as she recalled what Shinigami-sama had told her had happened.

"_Maka, Professor Stein passed away this morning."_

"_What?" _

"_We were too late to help him- it appears that he fell into madness and without your father or Marie there to help him he was completely lost."_

"_But… how?"_

_Shinigami-sama looked at her sadly. "He killed himself, Maka. From what we can tell, he was hallucinating. He was… well, he was trying to save your Papa and Marie from something. I sent people to stop him, but they got there too late. It looks like he killed himself with his own wavelength. It was… an accident…"_

With a wordless sob she stood and ran from the funeral.

* * *

Tears streamed down Maka's face hours later as she sat beside her father's grave. Marie's was one plot over, and just beside Marie's was Stein's. Soul stood, leaning against his bike, just as he had for the last hour.

"Papa, you and Ms. Marie died to save him and then he killed himself. How is that fair?!" Maka raged again, the tears nearly choking her up.

"Hey, Maka… we all knew that Professor Stein wasn't stable. He shouldn't have been left alone. He obviously wasn't in his right mind…" Soul said.

"I'll never forgive him. He took my Papa away…"

Soul's arms wrapped around her and she squeaked, unaware that the boy had left his perch. He pulled her against him and sighed. "Maka, your dad was a great death scythe, and he did what any weapon would have done. We protect our meisters, no matter how crazy a stunt they've pulled."

"But… Papa…"

"Loves you. He wouldn't want you balling like this. Neither would Ms. Marie and the Prof wouldn't understand it. Let's go home. We'll come back to visit tomorrow. I promise."

Maka nodded, letting the boy guide her away from the three graves.

* * *

Three souls floated together, and Shinigami-sama watched them. He hadn't been able to bring himself to send them on. The three souls had such potential and worked so well together that he was loathe to remove them from the world.

Perhaps, just perhaps, he would make a deal and have all three returned.

* * *

**A/N: I hope that you enjoyed the twist. It's been planned since the first chapter and while I know that it isn't exactly what I was prompted, I hope that you enjoyed.**

**Please, take the poll on my profile- I'd really appreciate it!**

**I don't own Soul Eater.**


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